A TEENAGE army medic today described how she helped save the lives of badly burned Iraqi children in the Gulf.

Aly-Joy Haworth, who was posted to Iraq in February, is back at home with her friends and family in James Street, Great Harwood.

The 18-year-old, who stands only 4ft 10in tall, was called "my angel on the frontline" by mum Stephanie as the likelihood of war grew in March.

And while Aly-Joy was serving in Iraq with the Paratroopers' 16th Corp Support Medic Regiment, Stephanie, 50, was tirelessly campaigning for the war to stop, believing that it was not justified.

Aly-Joy wanted to become a medic after she was inspired by paramedics who saved her sister Sian's life.

Her commitment resulted in her joining the Army at 16 so she could get early training. Civilian paramedics are only recruited from the age of 21. She was then posted to Iraq.

Aly-Joy has described how she helped save Iraqi children with body-length burns that had been infected for days.

She cared for a six-year-old who had his foot blown off, probably by a mine, and another boy with fractures down both legs.

Aly-Joy could not say for definite what caused the horrendous injuries but said it was likely to have been US bombs and mines.

She also had to treat the injuries of British soldiers which for the most part were caused by 'friendly fire', bites from scorpions, spiders and mosquitos and even broken ankles from football matches.

Yet she said the smiles and warmth from the Iraqi people which greeted English soldiers left her no doubt that it was right to topple Saddam.

Aly-Joy, who was based in surgical posts in between Baghdad and Basra, said: "Kids would come round to speak to you when you were on guard. Even older people had so much respect for you. They said 'British we love you' and were blowing kisses.

"I have felt every emotion that I could feel. It made me learn so much about myself. The things I have seen, you can take it to one extreme, you can dwell on what happened, or you can use it to your advantage, and I coped with it."

And Aly-Joy was said she was boosted by the support from her Mum and the whole of East Lancashire when her mum sent the cuttings of The Lancashire Evening Telegraph to her.

She said: "I was so proud because nobody else's home town did that for them, nobody else's family.

Stephanie said: "I am so very proud of her. I don't think I could have coped with seeing children like that. "It's fantastic she's home."